Weight cutting

In the light of recent events, I've posted a few new blogs about weight cutting, to go with the ones already on the site.

Weight cutting is a frequent topic of obsession for fighters and debate amongst fans. Some have argued that it amounts to cheating. Others point out that when done badly, it can be one of the most dangerous aspects of MMA. Dehydration can result in heat stroke, kidney failure or heart arrhythmias. Although thereís very little research on this subject, itís possible that fighters quite commonly dehydrate themselves to a level that affects kidney function. And when it goes badly wrong, it can kill you.

Iíve noticed a trend amongst fighters. Those who seem least concerned about their health when planning a weight cut are often the quickest to plead ďmedical reasonsĒ when it goes wrong. I donít want to pick on anyone in particular, so letís take a fictional fighter, say John Anthonyson.

Given that those are the risks, could you explain how/why any health professional who condones or encourages the practice of weight cutting in combat sports is not actually engaging in behaviour which would be tantamount to breakign their codes of professional ethics. Obviously, they woudn't be in breach if thy pointed out the consequences and played a passive role, but surely active participation in any capacity would give the impression that there was a medically safe way to do this and clearly there is always some level of risk which would be hard to justify from a medical point of view

Last edited by Shaolin Exile; 21-01-2012 at 06:12 PM.

Any opinions I express on this forum are entirely personal opinions and it should not be assumed that they reflect the official view of any organisations I am connected with

Given that those are the risks, could you explain how/why any health professional who condones or encourages the practice of weight cutting in combat sports is not actually engaging in behaviour which would be tantamount to breakign their codes of professional ethics. Obviously, they woudn't be in breach if thy pointed out the consequences and played a passive role, but surely active participation in any capacity would give the impression that there was a medically safe way to do this and clearly there is always some level of risk which would be hard to justify from a medical point of view

I don't know how it works for doctors. Personally, I never advocate weight cutting, but I recognise that it happens and I try to give advice that makes it as safe as possible, while also pointing out the risks involved. Refusing to get involved won't stop it happening - it just increases the risk for those who do.

The same question could be asked of doctors involved in MMA - or any other sport - given that none of these activities are risk free. I think the aim is to improve safety for people who make an informed choice to take part.

And bear in mind that choosing NOT to cut weight also carries its own risks, medically, since it means that you're likely to be fighting a much larger opponent.

Until there's a safe and practical way of preventing weight cutting, then the best we an do is to make sure that the decision to cut weight is as informed as possible.

And I'd say an average weight cut is a bit over one weight class. The ideal amount varies a lot between fighters though, which is why I always recommend that fighters do a test weight cut before doing it for a fight.

i think theres too much emphasis on physical size rather than physical ability! ive fallen victim to massive water cuts and the effect on physical performance is massive!, even after a 24 hour recovery period!

there should be a greater emphasis on diet based weight loss and improvment in physical ability rather than water manipulation!

longevity in this sport is not in massive water cuts!, its in diet managment, peak physical conditioning and technical superiority.